1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a symbol displaying unit used for a game machine and having a double structure including an outer reel and an inner reel.
2. Description of the Related Art
Some of game machines, which are a slot machine and so forth, have a symbol displaying unit built therein. As to the symbol displaying units, there are two types of a mechanical type and a video type. The mechanical type includes three reels and a driving mechanism thereof, for example. On a periphery of the reel, a plurality of symbols are arranged. The video type displays reel rotation simulated by means of a liquid-crystal-display (LCD) panel and so forth. When this kind of the symbol displaying unit is incorporated in the game machine of the slot machine and so forth, the three reels are simultaneously rotated upon starting a game. In accordance with a symbol combination displayed after stopping the reel rotation, winning or loss is determined. In a case that the symbol combination stopping along a nominated game line is a certain symbol combination preset as the winning, a predetermined number of coins are paid in accordance with a king of the winning.
Some of the symbol displaying units of the mechanical type use a double reel in which two reels of an inner reel and an outer reel are concentrically disposed. In the case of this symbol displaying unit, it is possible to compose the symbols of the outer reel and the inner reel to display the symbols through a display window as a single composition symbol. Thus, the kinds of the symbol and the winning may increase so that anticipation of the winning is effectively given to a player.
Meanwhile, in the case of the symbol displaying unit of the video type, it is possible to add attraction and so forth by using an animation prepared for each type of the game machine, besides simulating the reel rotation by performing flowing display of the symbols. By contrast, in the case of the symbol displaying unit of the mechanical type, the symbols arranged on the respective reels are fixed so that the flowing display of the symbols is merely performed. Due to this, when the symbol displaying unit of the mechanical type is incorporated in the game machine of the slot machine and so forth, the attraction is merely carried out by using a lamp and a speaker built in the game machine. Concretely, the attraction is carried out such that the lamp is turned on and the speaker generates effective sounds. In comparison with the symbol displaying unit of the video type, the symbol displaying unit of the mechanical type has a disadvantage that the attraction itself pales. This disadvantage similarly exists in the symbol displaying unit having the reel comprising the inner reel and the outer reel. Thus, with respect to the game machine using the symbol displaying unit of the mechanical type, it is difficult to arouse player's interest by the attraction.